Paradise

Soft coral ergs rise from the sandy slope like decorated towers, each one wrapped in colour from top to base. The entry from the Waterfalls Hotel jetty drops to a gentle slope at 12 m. A few metres out, a large pinnacle reaches up to 16 m. Spend time here. Glass fish swirl in dense clouds around the fan corals, and a resident yellow-mouthed moray occupies a hole close by. Past this first landmark, several more pinnacles appear between 18-22 m, each worth a slow circuit. The current can shift direction during the dive. When it does, bring the dive shallow and work the reef wall back toward entry, scanning for scorpionfish tucked into ledges and nudibranchs on the hard substrate.

Paradise sits in the shadow of Sharm's headline destinations. No one flies to Egypt specifically for this reef. But what it lacks in name recognition, it delivers in reliability and access. The soft coral density on these ergs is considered among the finest on the coast. Unlike the boat-dependent sites at Ras Mohammed or the current-swept reefs of Tiran, Paradise is a walk-in dive from a hotel jetty. It works for a relaxed afternoon session or a night dive when the reef wall fauna changes completely. The critter hunting is genuine here: frogfish have been found on the main pinnacle, and the wall rewards a slow, close-focus approach.

Current changes are the main variable. The site functions as a drift dive on some days, keeping the reef on your left shoulder. On others, the current shifts mid-dive and the plan needs adjusting. Shore entry via the floating jetty is straightforward. The site also works by boat. No permits or park fees apply. Water temperature ranges from 20-23 C in winter to 27-29 C in summer, with visibility typically 20-30 m. A 3 mm suit covers summer; bring a 5 mm full for winter months.